Function

development of the brain and nervous system in babies and
children throughout their growing years

Sources

Mother's milk

Meat, eggs, fish

Milk and milk products

Regulation

Cholesterol is formed primarily in the liver (about 66-75%).
In most cases, the human body will produce enough cholesterol
to maintain normal body needs. The liver is the major production
factory for cholesterol. Cholesterol is also recycled when the
liver excretes bile into the digestive track. Typically, about
half of the excreted cholesterol from the bile is reabsorbed
by the small intestines back into the bloodstream.

Most ingested cholesterol is poorly absorbed due to the esterification
of dietary cholesterol (the alcohol portion of cholesterol reacts
with fatty acids). However, when the dietary intake is high,
liver synthesis is low; when intake is low, synthesis increase
(Lecerf JM & de Lorgeril M, 2011). For these reasons, dietary
intake of cholesterol has little if any effect on serum (blood)
cholesterol. Major studies (eg: Tucumseh Study, Framingham Study,
etc) have found virtually no relationship between diet and serum
cholesterol levels (Kannel 1971, Nichols 1976).

However, eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the
day has shown to significantly reduce organ cholesterol biosynthesis
and fasting cholesterol levels (See Meal
Frequency Rationale).